22. No "bias", no learning.

Bias gets a negative rap. But scientific bias is simply about tendencies -for neuroELT it is about preferred neuro-patterns that our brains have. Learning is proof of bias; bias is proof of learning. Another important type of bias is Positive Bias. Due to Darwinian Logic (natural selection), humans tend to have a Positive Bias; positive bias keeps the human race alive. (The human"ancestors" that were not positive and were depressed most of the time probably had less productive lives, and probably left less children to pass on their depression to. So, via natural selection, the human race shows a positive bias.) It gets us up in the morning. Bias is at the core of motivation. Bias is at the root of culture, too, because bias is about our tendencies and habits.

In neuroscientific terms, bias is the tendency to use "neural network A over neural network B", forcing Long Term Potentiation (LTP) and more myelination on network A. This, in turn, makes network A more efficient, and even more bias occurs because of the higher level of efficiency. From network A's perspective, this is like a virtuous cycle; more usage makes it more efficient which brings on more usage, which makes it even more efficient...

Q. According to the above study, it would seem that although we have bias, we have no "free will" -- but we may have "free won't", which is almost as good as free will. Or is it? What are your thoughts?.